Apple and Google have removed the Fortnite game from their digital marketplaces.
This came as retaliation for Epic Games’s decision to allow Fortnite players to buy-in-game currency through direct-payment from maker Epic Games, thus circumventing Apple and Google’s payment methods which takes a mandatory 30% cut of sales in the app.
Apple said Epic had taken the “unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines”.
Epic likely foresaw the ban, announcing soon after that it had filed a legal complaint against Apple for its anti-competitive practices and sought injunctive relief against the multi-billion dollar company.
The guidelines ban any payment separate from Apple’s, and has been the subject of many a conflict between developers and Apple.
Epic, in a statement said any iPhone players who have the app installed should be able to continue playing until the game’s next update rolls out. After that, they will lose some features. The Epic Games team went further tweeting that in addition to the complaint it filed in a California court, the game developer will also be screening an in-game short film titled Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite – a play on George Orwell’s novel 1984.
Fortnite Party Royale will premiere a new short: Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite. Join us at 4PM ET. pic.twitter.com/BWvndK3gDt
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 13, 2020
The novel is about a dystopian society which controls its citizens and leaves no room for dissent. Ironically, Apple referenced the novel in a famous television ad in the year 1984, positioning itself as the underdog to the then-dominant IBM.
Epic Games continuing to pull no punches and speak power to the man, directly referenced that advertisement in its legal complaint, writing “Apple has become what it once railed against: the behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation.”
Apple is bigger, more powerful, more entrenched and more pernicious than monopolies of yesteryear,” Epic says in the suit.
“Apple’s size and reach far exceeds that of any technology monopolist in history.”
The court documents allege that Apple effectively have a monopoly on deciding the sort of apps to display on the App Store as well as in enforcing the exorbitant 30% cut.
Many have referred to Epic taking on Apple in this manner as akin to a clash of titans. App developers have long been unhappy with Apple’s practice of taking a whole 30% of the payment cut but lacked the resource and support Epic currently enjoy. By egging Apple and Google on to remove Fortnite from the App and Google Play Store, Epic has created a groundswell of support for them, “the small guy” against the anti-competitive and mafia-like practices of Apple.
Clearly this is an offer Epic can refuse, though.
"Epic is not seeking monetary compensation from this Court for the injuries it has suffered. Nor is Epic seeking favorable treatment for itself, a single company. Instead, Epic is seeking injunctive relief to allow fair competition in these two key markets" pic.twitter.com/UEussN3B9z
— iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) August 13, 2020
I for one can’t wait to see how this go. It is about time someone took Apple down a peg. Here’s to hoping the California courts make the right decision as they have already done with regards to Uber and Lyft.
